What is PHP?

PHP stands for Hypertext Processor. Php is also a scripting language, and works off the server. HTML is a language in which the browser application is interpreting the code given. Because HTML and CSS is interpreted and displayed by the browser, we end up with codes looking different on different browsers.

PHP working off the server (server based) means the server itself is interpreting the code. You can have HTML and PHP on the same page, however only the HTML will be sent to the browser.

PHP will look the same in any browser you view it in. HTML on the other hand can very. How much of this makes sense though? Yea, there is a lot of words used. If you didnt understand anything so far, here is a simplified version:

PHP will look the same no matter what web browser you are using. HTML/CSS can very because every web browser interprets the code its own way.

One thing you will notice when you first try php is the fact you can't view it in your broswer, unlike HTML documents. In order to use PHP you must have it installed on your server, whether its your computer or the web server for your web site.

Some vocab to know:

• Browser-side (client-side) :: Anything the happens in the browser such as opening a new window, pop up alerts etc...
• Server-Side: Anything occuring on the side of the server.
• PHP: Hypertext Processor
• There ARE differnet versions of PHP, the tutorials in this section should work on the most commonly used 4 and 5 versions.
• browser: used to access the internet (ex. FireFox, IE6, IE7, Safari, Opera, etc...)

PHP is for after an event occurs. This would include clicking a button etc...It cannot do anything like opening a new window for your browser.

This is pretty confusing though huh? And how am I supposed to start this code?

PHP, like HTML and CSS has a starting and ending. <?Php is used to start it. ?> Ends this code. How about we look at a simple code:

<?php
include("url here");
?>

The above is an include tag, but more importantly, look at how PHP is set up. if you want to learn more about includes visit the includes tutorial.

At first this all may seem somewhat confusing and impossible to learn, but its rather simple once you understand how it works and its basic purpose, function, and what it can and cannot do.